New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘KIE344’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘KIE344’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and large red purple-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KIE344’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KIE344’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Impatiens cultivars with numerous large flowers and attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in November, 2000, of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Papete, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,457, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number 00-567, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar KIE344 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany in March, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since May, 2001 has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar KIE344 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KIE344’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KIE344’ as a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large red purple-colored flowers that are positioned above         and beyond the foliage.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Papete, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Papete.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the cultivar Papete.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Papete.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker colored leaves than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the New Guinea Impatiens cultivar BFP-368 Rose, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,532. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar BFP-368 Rose in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more vigorous than plants of         the cultivar BFP-368 Rose.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the cultivar BFP-368 Rose.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar BFP-368 Rose         differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Impatiens. The photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KIE344’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘KIE344’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the winter and early spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial New Guinea Impatiens production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperatures averaged 19° C. and light levels averaged 4,000 foot candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in one-gallon containers and were about 18 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar KIE344. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Papete,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,457.         -   Male, or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens             hawkeri identified as code number 00-567, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 17 days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days             at 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and             mounded plant habit.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely branching             habit; about ten lateral branches developing at the base;             dense and bushy growth habit. Pinching, that is, removal of             the terminal apices, is typically not required, but will             enhance branching.         -   Plant height.—About 19.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 32 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Internode length: About 4 cm to 4.5 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Darker than 183A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls, simple.         -   Length.—About 8.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate with ciliation.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Darker than 183A. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A; venation,             183B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 183A; venation,             183A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: 184A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary flowers.             Freely flowering habit; usually about ten to twelve open             flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers             positioned above the foliage and typically face upright or             outward. Flowers last about one week under greenhouse             conditions. Petals self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse             conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall             in Germany. Plants begin flowering about eight to twelve             weeks after planting.         -   Flower size.—Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 5 cm. Depth:             About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm.             Shape: Ovoid; pointed. Color: 67A.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single             whorl. Length, banner petal: About 2.4 cm. Length, lateral             petals: About 2.7 cm. Length, lower petals: About 3.2 cm.             Width, banner petal: About 4.4 cm. Width, lateral petals:             About 2.9 cm. Width, lower petals: About 3.4 cm. Shape:             Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper surface: More blue than 66A. When             opening, lower surface: 67B. Fully opened, upper surface:             Brighter than 71C; towards the base, 72B; at base, 57A.             Fully opened, lower surface: 67B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an             elongated spur. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper surface: 72B to 72C. Color, lower surface: 60D.             Spur length: About 5.4 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 3             mm; at apex, less than 1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Spur color: 59A to 59B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 183A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at             anthers; filaments free. Anther size: About 3 mm by 5 mm.             Anther color: 158B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             158A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 157A. Style             color: 144B. Ovary color: 144B.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea     Impatiens. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘KIE344’ as illustrated and described. 